BARRACUDA STUMBLE OUT OF THE GATES, LOSE 5-2 IN ONTARIO

Feb 21, 2018

ONTARIO, CA - The San Jose Barracuda (22-21-3-3) allowed three first-period goals to the Ontario Reign (25-19-3-1) on Wednesday at Citizens Business Bank Arena and couldn't comeback from the early deficit, falling 5-2.

Ontario waited just two minutes and 57 seconds to take the games first lead as Matt Moulson (10) redirected a Sean Walker point-shot past a screened Troy Grosenick. San Jose would go on the games first power play after Austin Wagner was popped for boarding, but a failed San Jose zone-entry ricocheted to an open Brett Sutter (10) who raced down the right wing on a breakaway before beating Grosenick through the five-hole at 6:36. Justin Auger (7) completed the three-goal first by forcing a turnover before going five-hole on a one-on-one with San Jose's netminder.

In the second, the Barracuda began their push back as Colby McAuley (1) netted his first of his AHL career after he lifted a shot that bounced off the back wall past the out-stretched left pad of Cal Petersen at 6:29. At the end of a double-minor penalty against Stepan Falkovsky, San Jose's Alex True (8) cut the lead down to one as his wrap-around pin-balled off a Reign defender and in at 16:58.

In the third, T.J. Hensick (6) increased Ontario's lead back up to two as Sam Herr found the veteran forward below the hashes, and then Andrew Crescenzi (10) netted an empty-netter to make it 5-2, sealing the Reign win.

Grosenick (6-9-4) took the loss after allowing four goals on 35 shots, while Petersen (13-9-0) claimed the win after making 19 saves on 21 shots